Horses
may require surgical removal of their eyeball for various
reasons, such as: recurrent uveitis, cataracts, trauma,
ulcers or cancer. If your horse’s eye has severe damage or
is no longer functional, Dr. Winter will discuss the
available options with you. If they have a blind healthy eye
ball, he recommends administering appropriate eye
medication. If the eyeball is diseased or painful, it should
be removed. In most situations, Dr. Winter is able to
perform eye enucleation surgery while the horse remains
standing. Recovery seems to run smoothly for most horses and
often there is little to no drainage from the eye. Even
though it can be emotionally difficult for an owner to have
to deal with, it may be helpful to know that most horses do
not appear painful. However, depending on the situation, Dr.
Winter will prescribe appropriate medication and discuss
additional care that may be required.